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Barbados is a beautiful island filled with amazing natural sights including brightly coloured gardens, underground caves and forests overflowing with wildlife and flora.
If you’re travelling to Barbados for your summer holiday this year, here are a few sights you may wish to keep an eye out for.
Located in the east of Barbados, in the parish of St. Joseph, is the Andromeda Botanic Garden, a unique and authentic garden, densely packed with exotic plants, flowers and trees. This garden is both the oldest and largest on the island, dating back to 1954 and stretching over six acres. Tourists swarm to this area to discover tropical plants like bright red heliconia, pink bougainvillea and multi-coloured begonias.
Winding walkways intertwine around these plants and allow guests to see towering trees and flowing streams, which create the perfect background noise when you walk around. Waterfalls are dotted around the complex with large pools at the bottom of them, jam-packed with stunning water lilies.
Apart from the breathtaking nature, you’ll also get the chance to see glorious butterflies fluttering around the flowers and hear small birds chirping in the trees. If you’re lucky, you may even get to see some monkeys who’ve come from nearby Gully’s.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Barbados is Harrison’s Cave, a limestone cave with flowing streams and deep pools of crystal clear water. This natural wonder lies at the heart of the island and has been open to visitors since 1981 after the Government excavated shafts and tunnels in 1974 for trams to pass through. The cave got its name from a prominent landowner in the area, Thomas Harrison and its tunnels were named after Noel Boyce, who opened up its natural passageways.
This active cavern carries water through its tunnels, so make sure you wear waterproof shoes when visiting. It also features stalagmites that make for excellent photographs as they reflect in the clear waters below. We recommend a ride on the tram, as it’ll allow you to get a glimpse of all the sights inside, as well as hear the echoing sounds. Although, you can choose to complete the walking tour and get an even closer look.
Located to the east of Bridgetown is the Chancery Lane Swamp, a home to the migrant shorebirds, egrets and herons. It’s also the resting place for many birds migrating to North America. If you love birdwatching and studying wildlife, this swamp is the place for you as its crawling with wildlife. The habitat is made up of mudflats, shallow waters and grassy spots that make the perfect nesting areas for birds like the pelican and blue heron.
When visiting during the wet season, you’ll notice the area is thriving with life, however, during the dryer parts of the year, the swamp tends to dry up, so choose your visiting time wisely if you wish to be engrossed by the tropical wildlife. There’s plenty of halophytic vegetation growing here because of the damp, salty conditions, so look out for the yellow warbler living in these plants.
The Flower Forest is a 53-acre-wide wooded area, filled with beautiful plants, trees and flowers that grow all year round. When strolling down the flower-lined pathways, you’ll experience an overwhelming sense of peace and tranquillity amongst the greenery, chirping birds and running water. Once you’ve walked through the forest, past all the towering trees, you’ll reach the end of the area and be rewarded with an astounding view over the hills. This would be the perfect time to get your camera out.
This forest opened in 1983, however, the old boiling house wasn’t conserved until 1990 through the construction of a large pavilion that now holds both indoor and outdoor dining facilities. Due to its romantic setting, the forest has been known to hold many weddings. So, if you’re looking for a couple’s getaway, the Flower Forest should definitely be on your to-do list.
In the Parish of St. Thomas is the Welchman Hall Gully, an astonishing landform, created by running water eroding the soil. When visiting this area, you’ll come across many bamboo, nutmeg and palm trees, as well as plenty more exotic plants. On your self-guided tour, you’ll walk along sustainable paths and explore the many sights. If you wish to take a closer look at the many cave formations and bamboo groves, take a detour off the pathway.
If you’re lucky – and quiet – you may get to see some monkeys swinging about in the trees, or playing on the ground. Don’t worry about getting lost, though, as there are plenty of signposts and plaques dotted around the paths so you’ll know where you are and what’s around you. You can also pick up a booklet before you start that explains the different tree and plant species
If after reading this blog post you wish to book a trip to Barbados, then contact us via our website or call us on 0800 021 3237. You can also visit our Woodbridge and Ipswich travel agents to speak to a member of our team in person.
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